The Hit And Run...

I just heard about a woman who was riding her bike to work and was hit by a car that fled the scene after crushing her. Her face was crushed, her spleen exploded, her arm crushed, her spine broken. She survived despite staying in a coma for a long time and after waking from her coma she asked to see her pastor. She asked him if God did this to her. The pastor replied "no," and then went on to describe how God is not sitting back deciding to hurt people but sin is in our world and it's only goal is to destroy us. Because of sin things like this happen and God allows it. This girl then has an opportunity to let God use it in her life and not let it destroy her, as satan would want.
I thought about her and the choice she was making to not become bitter or angry about her new face reconstruction or her all metal arm or the constant pain she is in or the months of physical therapy she will have to undergo to be able to walk again. My mind then went to the person who hit her. This person had to know that they had possibly killed her and they chose to flee. I can't imagine the guilt that they are living with day by day. I can't imagine what those around them are thinking about them because the toll the guilt is taking on them. It must be dragging them down. I imagine someone who is carrying an un-bearable burden that will now shape the rest of their lives.

I do this. I crash into friends, family members, co-workers, co-laborers and sometimes flee the scene. I think that I can run away from the damage I've done and it will resolve itself, but eventually I look down and see corrosion. The sin eats away at me and has a vise grip that I've allowed. I often find myself crumbling under the weight and fleeing no more. I confess. I return to the scene and confess. There may be days or years of consequences that I will need to do to pay for the damage I've done but they will be done gladly because the burden of the sin is no longer hidden on me, it has been laid at the feet of the only right judge, Jesus.

Who are you today? Are you walking around carrying the weight of a hit and run? Of many hit and runs? When you see yourself in the mirror do you see the person who grew up who was lighthearted and unburdened or the person who's face is creased with worry and guilt and heartache and shame?

Confess, repent, turn yourself in...Don't let this be the person you remain for the rest of your life.

Psalm 32:1-5

1 Blessed is the one
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
2 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord does not count against them
and in whose spirit is no deceit.

3 When I kept silent,
my bones wasted away
through my groaning all day long.
4 For day and night
your hand was heavy on me;
my strength was sapped
as in the heat of summer.[b]

5 Then I acknowledged my sin to you
and did not cover up my iniquity.
I said, “I will confess
my transgressions to the Lord.”
And you forgave
the guilt of my sin.